On 11 March 2020, WHO declared Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) outbreak as a pandemic and called for countries to take immediate actions and scale up response to treat, detect and reduce transmission to save people's lives. The Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India on 14th March, 2020, also declared Covid-19 as a "notified disaster". The pandemic caused an unprecedented economic and social disruption, which was devastating. The closure of establishments during the lockdown had widespread socio-economic implications that created multiple challenges for lower income families across the country. DS Group mobilized all possible resources to help the COVID devastated nation and offer support through various activities like contribution to the Prime Minister's Citizen assistance and relief in emergency situations fund, distribution of food, ration, masks, sanitary items, supporting quarantine facilities, providing medical equipments/items to various hospitals/concern authorities, awareness generation etc.
An overview of activities that were carried out directly or through implementation partners since outbreak of Corona virus in March 2020 by the DS Group are:
DS Mobile Clinics, the Medical and Health initiative of DSL offered its services at the doorstep to people living in remote areas of North East and selected areas in Delhi /NCR. A well-equipped medical van, with a qualified doctor and trained medical staff offered basic services like consultation, medicine and referral, free of cost. The critical cases were referred to the nearby hospitals and in case of extreme emergency; the mobile van also transported the patient to the hospital. Contingent to the requirement, some villages were visited twice in a month.
Specially designed health awareness campaigns on various health issues like Malnutrition; Maternal and new born care; Immunization; Seasonal diseases like Malaria, Dengue, Diarrhoea etc. were also conducted.
DSL has extended support to the victims of various natural calamities and has actively supported various relief operations during disasters like floods in J&K, Uttarakhand, Leh and Assam and has provided succour and support after the devastating Tsunami in Tamil Nadu.
Heritage is our legacy from the past, to be preserved and passed to future generations. Our culture and monumental heritage are both irreplaceable sources of life and inspiration. DSL was involved in the restoring of many monuments, temples and other important historic landmarks in North East.
A project to improve access to clean water and better hygiene for slum dwellers of Sector 8, 9 & 10 in Noida was implemented by DSL in partnership with the Centre for Urban and Regional Excellence.
As a part of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, a Government of India initiative, DSL has constructed 9 community toilet complexes in the slums of Lucknow. The toilets are maintained by the local committees.
Most of the rural population do not have access to proper medical facilities or information and are ignorant about eye health related problems. Creating awareness on blindness caused due to cataract and the treatment available to address the same are the key agenda of the project.
The project has benefitted almost 15,000 people. A total of 1450 cataract surgeries have been conducted, 4502 patients have been provided with spectacles.
ABPL partnered with Sankara Netralaya in Kamrup, Assam, to support economically weaker section of the community with eye care support services. Around 100 underwent Cataract surgery, 200 were given spectacles and 500 people were supported with medicines.
DSL contributed two ambulances to Ishwar Charitable Trust on the occasion of the Group's 91st Founder's Day. The ambulances will be used to make modern ophthalmic services accessible to the underprivileged people of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan and slums of Delhi at their door step.
DS Spiceco Pvt. Ltd. in partnership with Shikshantar Sansthan established a proper Music Academy-Recording Studio in the Udaipur Jail where the learner inmates will be able to write, compose and record their own song. The initiative aims to keep the inmates motivated and engaged so that it gives them options to get employed when they reintegrate into society.
DS Spiceco Pvt. Ltd. has installed solar lights for Chandala village situated in Manesar area of Gurgaon district of Haryana. The 20 solar street lights put up in the main village road connecting Jagram Ki Dhani to Chandla Dungrwas (approx. 3.5 kms) and 1500 people of that area have been benefitted.
DSL has started an Integrated Community Development Project in Barota village near Karnal for holistic development extending to Education, Health, Sanitation, Livelihood and Environment. Around, 75 solar street lights have been installed, infrastructure improvement of Government School and an eye check-up camp for elderly has already been organized.
DSL has adopted Green Belts in Noida Sector 67 to improve the green cover of the region and restoration of Environment.